The Apache Ladies have been ranked most of the season, but their schedule has seen its peaks and valleys. Twice they have had seven-game winning streaks, but that second seven gamer was followed by three straight losses.

Facing a daunting task of traveling to Brenham to take on a Blinn club that TJC had beaten in overtime last month in Tyler, a four-game losing streak was not out the question.

But the Apache Ladies rebounded and scored an 80-62 win.

"We needed that," TJC coach Trenia Tillis-Jones said. "It was not a just a victory, it was a moral victory because we had gone on a skid. When you go on a skid like that there's potential to chalk it up, give up and not want to play anymore."

But her team came out with more motivation and fire, she said. Thus, they enter the tournament with momentum.

Grant leads the Apache Ladies by averaging 15.1 points per game. She is also an 80 percent free-throw shooter. Holmes, who has signed with Troy University, is averaging a near double-double with 15.0 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. Holmes shoots 52.1 percent from the field.

After missing out on the national tournament last year after making it in 2015, the Apache Ladies are ready for a return engagement.

SMOKE SIGNALS: The winner of the TJC vs. Blinn game will take on the winner of Trinity Valley and Angelina at 1 p.m. Friday in the semifinals. … Tickets are $25 (all-tournament), $6 (adults per session), $3 (students with ID and children over 5 per session) and free (children 5 and under).